Food Pathogens
Food-borne pathogens are the main vehicle to cause food-borne illness.
Mainly food-borne illness is associated with infection caused by
microbial pathogens that have entered the food chain at some time by
farm to fork. Pathogens can be unwittingly acquainted via a food
source. There are an enormous number of microbial pathogen: Bacteria
(E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Clostridium, Bacillus cereus),
viruses (Norwalk agent, Rotaviruses), and parasites (Giardia,
Entamoeba histolytica, Cryptosporidium parvum) that cause infection
and food-borne illness. Most of the time infections result in diarrhea
or dysentery, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramping. Microbial
toxin or Secondary metabolites are also responsible to cause
food-borne illness. Mainly the cases of food-borne illness are
self-limiting and mild but occasionally they may lead to cause serious
health hazard or may result in death. According to WHO report about
one-third of people in developed countries are affected by food-borne
pathogens each year. In Developing countries this figure is
significantly higher. Globalization of the trade means that
contaminated food has the potential to spread widely. Therefore
food-Pathogen became a challenge for Global Public health.